Arnav & Khushi - In the name of love
by bhavanamurali
Summary: When Khushi Kumari Gupta accidentally bumps into arrogant millionaire playboy Arnav Singh Raizada at a work party, little does she realise that her life has taken a critical turn - one filled with deadly encounters, dangerous passions and a love like no other.
1. Episode 1 point 1

**Episode 1.1**

The dawn sky that Khushi gazed at, when she woke up that morning had the crimson beginnings of a new destiny about it.

She was truly hoping the day would turn out as beautiful as the gorgeous morning blooming in front of her eyes.

Khushi Kumari Gupta was in her early twenties. Her slim and radiant figure shined with beauty even in her pyjama top and pants, creased from a night of restless sleep. This was after all the day when she was going to find out if she had been accepted as an account officer at Shreya Media Corporation, her employer, and one of the biggest advertising firms in India.

Tonight, during their companies annual day celebrations, a host of announcements was to be made about various promotions, company acquisitions and successful projects. She had been interning with the company for the last year and a half. And there was talk of her being promoted. Khushi was hoping that the excellent work she did on several creative projects including major ad campaigns cosmetics and textile companies would be seen in a favourable light by the board.

Khushi breathed in the beautiful morning air, praying and hoping for the best.

Everyone had been given the day off from their projects top decorate their office for the celebrations. Therefore, a 10 am start was not unusual. In fact, Khushi was one of the first people to reach the office.

She was glad to see her best friend and confidant at work Roshni Rastogi was in. Dressed in a casual 'I am Wonder Woman' t-shirt and a pair of ill-fitting jeans, Roshni jumped on Khushi like an excited puppy as soon she laid her eyes on her. Her short curly hair bounced around and her silver earrings and nose ring jingled like it had a life of its own.

"Today is the day," Roshni said with a big smile. "It's going to happen."

"Finger's crossed," Khushi responded.

"What is all this negativity I am seeing in you? Did your mother not feed you this morning?" Roshni pretended to be peeved.

"Leave my mother out of this. Let's talk about your mother,' Khushi said poking her tongue.

"As villainous as ever madam. She told me this morning that I am about a kilo fatter than I was last week."

"Charming. Why don't I come home and teach your mum a lesson for saying such nasty things.

Roshni hugged Khushi. "You are my sweetest sweetheart and this is why I think you will get promoted tonight."

"Let go of me Wonder Woman," Khushi said playfully.

The two friends proceeded to extricate a box of decorations from the printer room and started beautifying the place. Other colleagues chipped in and the time flew before someone suggested Pav for lunch and they all streamed out to the local street food store.

"Oh by the way, I forgot to tell you. We have a special guest tonight," Roshni said through a mouthful.

"Who?"

"The man who owns every major media company in India."

"Who?"

"Budhoos. The boss of our boss' boss."

"Arnav Singh Raizada? No way!'

"Yes way."

"Great. So I will be humiliated in front of the most eligible Batchelor in India."

"He is not your type."

"What? Good looking? Whatever gave you that idea?"

"No. he is a bad boy. You like to Santh Saadhu types."

"How are you even my friend?"

"Just saying. I have known you for years."

Suddenly Khushi did not want to touch her food. She had butterflies in her tummy. Nervous spasms racked her forehead.

Oh boy, why did this have to happen to me? She thought. She was anxious already about the results, but now the stage was set for a more prominent evening and she didn't want to vomit in front of everyone when her names was announced as one of the new promotions.

Maybe I won't get it, she thought. And no one would notice her in the crowd. Especially not Arnav.

She had seen him in the newspaper and on TV. He wouldn't have time for a nobody like her.

Evening crept up on her and she could feel the air cracking with anticipation.


	2. Episode 1 point 2

**Episode 1.2**

Khushi wanted to be on her A-game at the event, so she started her preparation with a lovely shower. She uttered positive affirmations as the cold water bombarded her skin.

After wiping herself down and checking every inch of her skin. She cleansed and exfoliated her face with the new Ayurvedic skin care product her mother Garima Shashi Gupta got her from Delhi.

After rubbing in the moisturiser and changing into casual clothes, she headed down to the kitchen where her mother was brewing some masala tea.

"Want some sandwich beta. I can make you some with potato and chickpeas and tomatoes," Garima said.

Garima was in her late 50's, but she looked 15 years younger thanks to a daily routine of yoga and vegetarian food.

"Yes, have some darling," her father Shashi Gupta chipped in. He was chowing down cookies from a small plate, which was neatly balanced on his big belly.

Shashi was a year younger than his wife. A controversial decision decades ago, he had once pointed out. "But who can deny love at first sight," he used to say with a wink.

" You guys want me to fart at the event?" Khushi said.

Her parents broke out in laughter.

"Will they give you a medal as part of the promotion?" Shashi asked.

"I am not in primary school anymore Papa Ji."

Shashi grinned as he bit into the next cookie.

"Ma Ji his addiction to chocolate cookies is your fault."

"Here have some," Shashi extended one towards his daughter.

"No thanks. I would much rather pour sugar down my throat."

"Listen to your daughter. Don't you want to live long enough to see here wedding and your grandkids," Garima offered.

"I see what you are doing here. Use a conversation on good diet as a platform to broadcast your marriage lecture," Khushi screwed her face. "I will marry when I am ready. When I have found the right man. Someone who is not arrogant. Who is kind to others. Down to earth. And fills my heart with so much joy, it's going to explode."

"A Lord Shriram then?" Garima said.

"I don't think Sita will like that," Khushi responded.

"Well keep an eye out for such a handsome man at tonight's event, won't you?" Shahsi said.

"Yea sure Papa Ji, I will relegate my personal achievement to the lowest priority and go looking for a nice man to marry, so that I can fulfil your need to have grandkids."

"No need to get stroppy with us. We are old people. We are very proud of your achievements, but we would also like for you to find someone else to share these joys with. God knows how long we have got on this earth," Garima said.

God, just call me heavenwards, Khushi thought.

"Yes, God knows how long," Shahsi said in a voice barely audible over his munching.

"Well you won't be living long if you eat so many cookies Papa ji. I can guarantee you that," Khushi said snatching the plate of cookies away from her father.

Khushi loved her parents, but sometimes they got on her nerves.

She knew they would be immensely proud of her journey as an independent professional, but that was strangely balanced with their need to see her imprisoned by old cultural norms.

Her efforts to balance these two could be a serial called 'Khushi or Udaasi' on Star TV.

As the younger of two girls, they had given her all the love and opportunities in the world. Her elder sister Payal lived in the neighbouring city with her architect husband. So she was the sole carer and joy in the life of her parents at the moment. She could understand the extra pressures they put on her.

She gazed at them affectionately and proceeded to eat a cookie herself, just in time for the hot and steamy masala tea that her mother placed in front of her with a smile.


	3. Episode 1 point 3

Khushi was assembling the jewellery she was going to wear along with her red fancy sari when her Facebook messenger pinged her.

Must be Roshni pestering me with questions about what she should wear tonight for the umpteenth time, Khushi thought. As usual, the thought of her silly and loving brought a smile to her lips.

But the smile soon turned to a frown when she saw the name of the person who messaged her.

Hari Prasad.

The name conjured bitterness in her. She could feel the bile rise up to her throat as she looked at his profile photo.

The ex-boyfriend she didn't want to see any more. The ex-boyfriend she had barred from communicating with her. The man who was capable of great love and great anger in the same breath. The living poisoned memory of a time she would rather forget.

'Hi Khushi bear,' the message read.

She shuddered at the name. His pet name for her. There was very little distance from Khushi bear to bi%%$ when it came to Hari. Such was his foul temper. And she had been at the receiving end of his unprovoked lashings many times.

She had never mentioned 'the incident' that finally broke the camel's straw even to her best friend. It was a secret she was hoping to take to her grave.

She deleted the message and turned her attention back to her preparations for the evening.

She hadn't blocked him yet, because she wasn't that cruel. But she had definitely moved one. It had been an year and a half since their breakup.

She was not hurting anymore. She was in a good space. She had embraced the zen of living in the moment - enjoying her single life as she lusted over the occasional hunk who took her fancy, enjoying the company of her friends and her freedom.

But a new love hadn't happened yet. She hoped she had learned from her mistakes in the past to know what her soul truly wanted.

She lifted up her favourite ruby earrings and watched the light filter through its red innards.

This would be great for tonight she thought and pushed away all intruding thoughts of the evening's unsolicited and undesirable message.

Ping. Another message.

Khushi picked the phone up in frustration. This time it was thankfully Roshni. A snap of her looking pretty in a black silk-bordered Gagra Choli. Gorgeous gold jewellery with emerald green accents really complemented her outfit.

'You look amazing,' she wrote back.

'No I feel ugly.'

'Stop spouting your usual rubbish.'

'Thank you babe. Without you, I would melt into a puddle and refuse to come together again.'

'That's what friends are for.'

'What do you look like?'

'You know I don't like spoiling surprises.'

'Oh come on.'

'Nope.'

'Actually, why bother. I know you are going to look like an angel.'

Khushi took a snap of her poking her tongue out and send it to Roshni.

'Lols.'

'Ok, its time my sweet budhoos. I have got 20 minutes before I order Uber.'

'Yes girl, get on with it. Stop indulging me.'

'Yup, never again.'

'Love ya xxx.'

Seriously, I am going to be late, Khushi couldn't imagine turning up late to the function and embarrassing herself.


	4. Episode 1 point 4

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"When Khushi walked down the stairs to the living room, she was hoping to slink away before her parents spotted her./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Instead, she found both her parents, on their feet, gazing at their daughter in admiration. Tears were streaming down her father's cheeks./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""I don't think I have seen anything so beautiful in my life," Shashi said./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""What a beautiful bride…" Garima said, before she was cut-off by her husband./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""My daughter is about to head off to celebrate her professional achievement. I don't want you to address anything else at this moment."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Pride surged through Khushi's body. Her cheeks warmed up and she could feel herself standing taller./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She sought the blessings of both her parents by touching their feet./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Her parents stood her up and admired her once more./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Dressed in a red fancy sari, with ruby earrings, and a thick gold necklace featuring teardrop shaped red gems, she was radiant and beautiful./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""Good luck darling," Garima said./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"A honk came from outside./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""Uber is here. Got to go," Khushi said and rushed out./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She nearly forgot to grab her red Louis Vuitton clutch, which her sister had got her for 22supnd/sup birthday. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She checked her watch as she settled into the cab. She was cutting it close./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"As the car travelled towards its destination, she watched the hustle and bustle of the cityscape create patterns of blurred light. People going about their daily life, inching towards an unknown destiny./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She wondered what her destiny was. As much as her mother's wedding talk grated on her, she often found herself thinking about love. She had been burned after her experience with Hari Prasad. But did that mean all her experiences would be like that?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"That she was destined to embrace the magic of love, only to be wrenched away from it by a heavy dose of reality. Was there are perfect man for her out there?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Her heart said maybe. Her head said no. More specifically, they both told her to surge ahead in her career. Make a name for herself. Achieve something that she can be proud of. Love will take care of itself in time./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"However, here and now. What mattered the most was knowing she was great at what she did. Her creativity and hard work was appreciated by her colleagues and the works she did on several ad campaigns spoke for itself./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"And tonight, hopefully she would be promoted, so she can start this amazing journey with her head held high./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She was going to get there on time, mingle with her colleagues, impress the top brass of the company and live the glory of the moment./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"A loud bang interrupted her thoughts and the car came to a sudden halt./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She heard the words she never wanted to hear. Especially on this evening./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""We have got a puncture Madam. Sorry."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p 


	5. Episode 1 point 5

Several agonising moments after the Uber ride came to an abrupt end due to a puncture, Khushi managed to hail an auto rickshaw driven by an old man with the thickest glasses on the planet.

It was a slow and painful journey, which saw her fighting to hold back the panic and trying to forget the horror of what just happened to her.

When she finally reached her office, she noticed that the parking lot was full of bikes and cars.

Everyone else is on time, she thought.

She ran up the stairs, as the booming voice of her Managing Director reverberated through the building. He was making announcements over the microphone.

Khushi didn't care how dishevelled she looked or whether her makeup had been destroyed by her salty tears. She was finally here.

She ran as fast as her legs could take her.

Khushi barely managed to hold back her tears as she rushed into the conference room.

"Best Manager of the year Award goes to Sushil Kumar," the MD announced.

She ran straight into the back of a man dressed in a navy blue suit.

Even before he turned around and stared at her angrily, she knew she was in the presence of someone who had great charisma.

When he was finally faced her, after what felt like an eternity, she noticed the crimson patch on his white shirt. She had made him spill his wine.

She noticed the shape of his well-formed pectoral muscles, his wide shoulders. Then as he shouted 'idiot' she noticed his soulful eyes and his strong jaw.

Arnav. She thought. Shit! I am screwed.

"And the intern of the year and our new staff member in the Social Media Advertisement Unit – Khushi Gupta."

She snapped out of her reverie and burst into a loud sob. Then she pushed through the crowd towards the stage.

Roshni managed to reach her through the throng of people and wiped away her tears, before urging her on. "Go silly. Stop crying."

"Great to see our employees being so emotional about their achievements," her MD said as Khushi climbed on to the stage.

It was a proud moment for her. But she was not truly able to enjoy it because of the frenzied incidents in the evening including her brush with Arnav.

She was like an automaton going through the motions she was programmed for. She might have remembered to crack a smile amidst all of that craziness. The crowd applauded and it fell on her ears like loud rain. She was there, but not quite there. It was surreal.

She exited the stage and ran straight to the restroom.

She placed the plaque on the side of the basin and looked at the mirror. Her mascara was ruined, her makeup had gone soggy in places.

God, I look like a demon, she thought. Why did you do this to me?

She cried some more, before composing herself. She wiped her face, made it look as presentable as possible with a quick touch up and exited the restroom.

And ran into Arnav again.

He was wiping a wet spot on his shirt. He had clearly come out of the restroom after attempting to clean the spill.

He looked at her accusatorially and said," strange to see that my company rewards clumsy staff members like you with promotions. Congrats anyways."

He hurried away, leaving Khushi clutching her trophy in anger.


	6. Episode 2 point 1

"Mr. Raizada, who do you think you are?" Khushi said.

He turned around to face his accuser.

You could clearly tell Arnav wasn't expecting the question, nor the vehemence with which it was delivered by the pretty woman who made him spill his wine.

"Excuse me," he said incredulously. "I don't think you need a lecture on who owns the business you work for."

"That does not give you the right to insult me," Khushi said, waving her award menacingly.

"Were you not clumsy earlier this evening?" he said pointing to the wet patch on his shirt.

"You know what! I don't think you would care if I explained all the crazy things that happened to me this evening. And honestly I don't feel like doing so. But I am a proud woman and I have worked hard to achieve this promotion. And I am not clumsy, thanks very much. You can ask my Managing Director if you want. He was also works for this business that you own."

Most people did not notice the exchange because of the noise from the party. But nothing escaped Roshni's attention, and it was her determined clapping that snapped Khushi out of her outburst.

Arnav was flustered by what he had just endured and the goofy smile on Roshni's face. He also looked around at some of the other workers who had tuned into their exchange.

"You can talk yourself up all you want Miss?"

"Khushi Gupta," Khushi offered, in a firm tone.

"Yes Khushi. But don't forget that little saying about first impressions. And I don't know if you have impressed me with that little performance of yours."

It was Khushi's turn to be flustered.

Arnav gave Roshni a fleeting look and he turned around and walked towards the Managing Director.

"That was awesome," Roshni said as she continued to clap.

"Budhoos, he is probably getting me fired right now," Khushi said, throwing her hands up in despair.

"oh."

"You know what? I don't care." Khushi said and stormed off to the entrance.

Just as she reached the door to the stairs, Nand Kishore, the handsome hunk who headed the PR division stepped in front of her.

"I hear congratulations are due," he said extending his hand. He was a fine physical specimen with broad shoulders, a delightful smile and the best skin a man could have. But she always thought there was something villainous about the man.

He seemed to be interested her in a romantic way, but she was not 100% sure. He was nototrious for bedding all the women in the office and breaking their hearts. That is what the others said anyways. Khushi didn't know if it was true, but she had no intention of being someone's plaything.

"I am sorry Nand. Thanks. But I gotta go."

Nand's smile disappeared as Khushi pushed past him.

Roshni who was running behind Khushi, grabbed his left bicep and said, "Don't take offence. She had a rough night."

"But she got the promotion she wanted?" Nand offered.

"It's a long story. But I will be happy to tell you everything in detail. Maybe you can take me out for a coffee or a movie?"

Nand looked like he had been hit by lightning.

"Ok, laters." He quickly exited the scene.

"Whatevs hero!" Roshni said and began running down the stairs calling out to Khushi.


	7. Episode 2 point 2

"Stop Khushi. Why are you making me burn my lungs?" Roshni shouted as she sprinted after Khushi.

"Leave me alone," Khushi shouted over her shoulders.

"Stop!"

Khushi stopped and turned around.

"I know it has been a tough evening, but please listen to me. I need to know what has got you so riled up."

"I don't know. It meant so much to me this evening. But with all the disruptions and awful incidents. Makess me think, this is not good start to my career in that company."

"Silly woman. I know this has been stressful and it means so much to you. And for that reason you wanted everything to be perfect. But real life is not perfect. You of all people know this," Roshni said placing a hand on Khushi's shoulder.

Khushi covered her face to hide her tears.

"When you wake up tomorrow, what do you think would have changed? Nothing. You will still be my dear friend. You parents' favourite daughter and your sisters pet. And the newly promoted darling of our excellent media company," Roshni said.

"And a bad memory for Arnav."

"Does that mean so much to you? You just met him today for the first time."

"I mean, he owns our company. He…"

"It's something else," Roshni raised an eyebrow.

"This feeling of some great destiny. It's weird. I can't explain it."

"Oho…" Roshni said with a big smile.

The girls were so caught up in their own world that they didn't realise they had gone down a dimly lit street.

They were both snapped out of their conversation by the sound of motorbikes.

Two black bikes came to a stop on the other side of the street. Four young men dressed in t-shirt and jeans and filthy sneakers were glaring at them.

"Let's go back to our office," Khushi said grabbing onto Roshni's hand.

"I don't like this one bit," Roshni agreed.

The men began revving their bikes.

"We can give you a ride. The ride of your life, if you want," one of them said.

Roshni showed them a middle finger.

Khushi moved her on and they started walking back to the office.

The guys started following them.

A thick blanket of fear dawned on both women.

The men started whistling as they followed them on their bikes.

Be brave, Khushi said to herself. She started dialing the number for the Police Control Room.

Just then a sliver Mercedes stopped in front of them. Khushi couldn't see the occupant in the driver seat because of its bright headlights.

Suddenly, Arnav's handsome face popped out of the window.

"I will give you three options. You can either bugger off or get beaten by these ladies while I watch on or deal with me and my car. What do you prefer?"

The men studied his masculine and intense face for what seemed like an eternity. Then they turned around their bikes and rode off.

Arnav looked at Khushi and Roshni.

"We could have handled that ourselves," Khushi said.

"I have no doubt," Arnav said with a genuine smile. "Good night."

Khushi was about to thank him, but he had already placed the car into gear and sped off.

Thank God Arnav came to our rescue," Roshni said.

"What, you don't believe I could have handled the situation?" Khushi said.

"No…but…he. Did you see the way he looked at you?"

Khushi didn't have a response, she was remembering the way their eyes met for an instant as he drove off.

"Why did you come down this street anyways?" Roshni said.

"I don't know."

Khushi remembered the early dawn that greeted her in the morning. The colours of destiny in the saffron sky. Arnav's eyes. His voice. At this moment she didn't have an answer to anything.

"Let's go home," she said, knowing fully well that sleep wouldn't come easily to her tonight. So much had happened today.


	8. Episode 2 point 3

Khushi was exhausted when she got into bed, but her mind was racing at a hundred miles per hour.

The exhilaration of her long cherished dream merged with thoughts about her encounters with Arnav.

She wanted to relive those moments - her bumping into him as she initially ran into the conference hall where the celebrations were being held, his first glance at her, their encounter outside the restrooms and the way their eyes met when he saved her and Roshni from the goons.

A large moon loomed arrogantly in the night sky. She imagined his handsome form in its blessed light.

She imagined - her fingers running along his masculine jawline, the feeling of his stubble on her fingers and her gaze on the lustful outline of his lips.

She felt a warmth rise up in her belly.

It was suddenly countered by flashes of his arrogance.

"Do you know who owns this business?" His voice thundering, as if he was right next to her.

Did she want to allow her heart to be the pawn of another arrogant man?

Memories of Hari Prasad, and the wounds he had given her, both physical and mental came flooding in.

"No, Khushi, no," she muttered.

Kill off the first seeds of desire and longing while you can, she thought.

Yet. His face persisted. Arnav - like the fury of a monsoon rain that refuses to let go of your soul.


	9. Episode 3 point 1

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"After the customary round of congratulations and hugs, Khushi had just settled down into her chair when a message popped up on the workplace messenger./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'Guess who went home with Nand Kishore after the work party?' said the message from Roshni./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'Uff Roshni, I am not interested in gossiping first thing in the morning. Also you know we are not meant to send these sort of messages on the company's intranet,' Khushi typed back./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'Don't be a spoilsport.'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Khushi did not respond for a while./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'You know you need this piece of info,' Roshni came back in a while./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'Go away,' Khushi typed./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'What if it's a piece of info on why Arnav might have been pissed off with you?'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Khushi's interest was instantly piqued. 'Ok bloody woman, you have got me now.'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'Coffee at 10.30? Canteen?'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'You can't tell me what it is over the messenger.'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'Sorry. I need to follow company policy :P.'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"'You b*^.'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Khushi tried to focus on the work at hand, but she really wanted to know what Roshni newswire service had dug up on her situation with Arnav. She kept checking her watch every 10 minutes./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Nand Kishore, the office hunk dropped by to check on her welfare. The way he looked at her, made her feel like the most important person in the world. She though he was a fine specimen of a man, but her heart did not yearn for him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Was physical attraction perhaps the first step to love?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Or was love at first sight the norm for a happily ever after future?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Khushi did not enjoy the love riddles you had to solve as a woman./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Was it this difficult for men? Surely not./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"She was still thinking about her coffee date with Roshni as Nand rambled on about his mountain climbing trip he was looking forward to. He was a real outdoorsy type./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""You must come and check out all the awesome gear at the local adventure store with me one of these days," he said presently./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""Sure why not," she said looking at the clock. 10.55./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Nand beamed one of his handsome smiles./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""I gotta go Nand. Roshni is waiting for me."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""Promise me, you will come with me next week during lunch time."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;""Yes, I promise." Khushi said collecting her handbag. She could see Roshni waving at her from the corner of her eye./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"Khushi didn't register what she had committed to, she was busy imagining what secrets Roshni was going to spill./p 


	10. Episode 3 point 2

"So." Roshni let it hang in the air.

Khushi looked around anxiously at the other patrons in the coffee shop.

Roshni took a sip of her coffee.

"Cough it up sister," Khushi said impatiently.

"No. I am enjoying this. You should enjoy the suspense too," Roshni responded with a smirk.

Khushi grabbed her handbag and got up to leave. Roshni grabbed her hand.

"Alright. Alright. That's enough tormenting," Roshni said.

"It sure is."

"Arnav has a cousin who works in our office?"

"What?"

"And this cousin was earmarked for promotion."

"What are you saying?"

"Could it be that Arnav was even more pissed off at you because you took his cousin's position."

"This is a ridiculous theory."

"It's worth investigating. Because it might help clarify his future behaviour, especially if he treats you like crap."

"I don't spend my days dreaming about how Arnav is going to treat me in the future."

"You don't?" Roshni winked.

When they reached the office, Khushi and Roshni scanned the cubicles.

Who could it be? Khushi wondered.

Suddenly, Arnav entered the office. He was talking with their MD as they headed straight towards her and Roshni.

The two women froze.

Maya, the pretty part-time model who lived in Lodi Estate, a posh suburb on hills in the outskirts of the town, walked up to Arnav and shook his hands. The handshake lingered a bit too long for Khushi's taste.

"Could that be?" Roshni quipped.

"Look at that handshake, I think she has other intentions. That's not the cousin. Who shakes their cousin's hands anyways."

"You are just jealous."

"I don't care," Khushi said.

Arnav moved on, still chatting to the MD. He then spotted someone on the lefthand side of the office floor and waved at them. But the girls couldn't figure out who it was, as their view was obscured by files and office equipment.

"Damn. I bet that was the cousin," Roshni said.

"What's your fixation with Arnav's cousin?"

"You fool. Don't discount the power of allies."

"For what?"

"For when you have to express your love for Arnav."

'I am not in love with Arnav."

"Keep saying that to yourself."

Arnav was heading straight for them along with their MD.  
Khushi tied hard to control her nervousness.

Arnav looked darn handsome in his steel grey vest and pants and white shirt with mother of pearl cufflinks.

"Oh my," she heard Roshni say.

Khushi wanted to escape, but Arnav was coming down the corridor, which was the only way to her desk.

"Morning Arnav, Sir, Ji," Roshni's overtly cheerful voice boomed across the corridor.


	11. Episode 3 point 3

"Morning," Arnav said as he came to a halt before the Khushi and Roshni.

The girls greeted him back.

"You look like you are raring to put in a hard day's work and make me some money," he said with a smile.

"That we are," Roshni said.

Khushi was trying to calm her racing heart. All she could manage was a weak, "yes."

"You have been newly promoted. But you look like you are on your first day at work," Arnav said to Khushi. He continued, " What's the expression? Deer in the headlights."

The MD who was next to Arnav grinned.

"I am not a morning person," she blurted.

"Maybe you can take some lessons from your friend about being positive and cheerful," he said.

"I look up to Roshni," Khushi responded without missing a beat.

Roshni beamed at this comment.

"So you are besties?"

"Yes," Khushi said.

Arnav haughtily considered both of them with his piercing eyes. "Good for you."

Khushi was going to thank him for last night, but his comment about her looking flustered had left a sour taste in her mouth.

"Have a great day," he said, as he walked on.

"He likes keeping everyone on their toes," the MD said with a smile as he walked past the girls.

"That was interesting," Roshni said.

"I wouldn't call it that. A put down?" Khushi wondered.

"He is just busting our balls."

"Roshni, we don't have balls. Remember? We are women."

"You know what I mean," Roshni gently punched Khushi on her shoulder.

Khushi walked back to her desk.

At first she failed to notice the flowers at her desk, but when she did, it took her breath away. A large bouquet of mixed, colourful flowers.

She picked up the cards on it with trembling hands.

'Congrats on your promotion. Arnav.'


End file.
